1. Origin of the Invention
The invention described herein was made in the performance of work under a NASA contract, and is subject to the provisions of Public Law 96-517 (35 USC 202) in which the contractor has elected to retain title.
2. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automated robot systems, and in particular to an automated crawling robot with multifunctional purposes, such as performing labor intensive tasks and/or dangerous field tasks.
3. Related Art
Automated robotic crawling systems are needed to perform labor intensive and dangerous field tasks in the areas of structures inspection/repair. Typical tasks for crawling systems include inspection of repairs of aircraft, detection of cracks, dents, corrosion, impact damage, delaminations, fire damage, porosity, and other flaws in structures. Also, crawling systems are needed for the performance of specific tasks, such as hazardous material handling, including toxic materials and bombs.
Current crawling systems include, for instance, a tank crawler and a cruciform crawler. The tank crawler has a body with a continuous belt having a vacuum pad with numerous suckers. Each sucker is connected to an air duct inside the continuous belt and has a mechanical valve. For each sucker, the valve opens mechanically when the sucker touches the surface of a particular object to thereby allow the sucker to cling to the surface. A motor, timing belt, and timing pulley are located within the body and operate to turn the continuous belt to provide the tank crawler with secure movement over a surface of an object.
The cruciform crawler comprises a horizontal spine and vertical bridges. Both the horizontal spine and the bridges have plural suction cups for secure coupling to a particular object. In order to effectuate movement of the cruciform crawler, the vertical bridges are moved forward while the suction cups of the horizontal spine are secured to an object. Next, the spine is moved forward while the suction cups of the vertical bridges are secured to complete one cycle. Each cycle produces linear movement of the cruciform crawler across an object.
Although the tank crawler has proven useful for certain tasks, the tank crawler is cumbersome, is large and bulky, and has limited movement. For example, the tank crawler cannot perform difficult maneuvers and does not provide a full range of motion. Thus, the limited motion of the tank crawler, as well as the cumbersome, bulky, and large size of the tank crawler, prohibits it from performing certain important tasks. In addition, steering the tank causes wear to the suckers which are attached to the belt.
With regard to the cruciform crawler, the movement of the cruciform crawler is limited to mainly linear movement and not sharp angular maneuvers. Consequently, does not allow a full 360 degree range of motion over a point. Thus, the limited motion of the cruciform crawler prohibits it from performing certain important tasks. In addition, similar to the suckers of the tank crawler, the suckers are subject to wear during maneuver.
Many current crawling systems are heavy, are complex to operate and maneuver, have high power requirements involved with preparation time between steps and have low payload/crawler weight ratio. Moreover, since these current crawling systems are designed for specific tasks, they have limited uses and cannot be utilized for a variety of tasks. Further, existing crawling systems do not have carrying areas for carrying observation cameras, sensors and sensor manipulation devices, and data gathering equipment such as computer processors, for transporting hazardous materials, for retrieving items and objects, etc.
Therefore, what is needed is a portable, user friendly automated robotic crawling system that can move rapidly over large areas with a full range of motion, perform a wide variety of tasks in all types of environments, including hostile environments, and access difficult to reach areas. What is further needed is a crawling system that has a carrying area for carrying observation cameras, sensors and sensor manipulation devices, and data gathering equipment such as computer processors, for transporting hazardous materials, and for retrieving items and objects.
Whatever the merits of the above mentioned systems and methods, they do not achieve the benefits of the present invention.